1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gaming machine that is capable of repeatedly executing a unit game.
2. Description of the Related Art
A gaming machine adapted to repeatedly execute a unit game is proposed, the gaming machine being adapted to display an additional symbol to a symbol that is displayed on a display (for example, refer to United Patent Application No. 61/023,483 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-172350) and United State Patent Application No. 61/027,613 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-183671). In addition, there is provided a gaming machine adapted to repeatedly execute a unit game in which the routine migrates from one bonus game to another bonus game (for example, refer to United State Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0081493).
In recent years, slot machines that are installed in casinos outside Japan include the one that allows a player to execute a second game or the like, in addition to a basic game to be played in such a manner that symbols to be stopped after reel rotation are rearranged and the amount of prize is determined. In these slot machines, it is determined whether or not the routine is caused to migrate to the second game by means of lottery in the basic game, and then, the second game is executed according to a result of the lottery. Therefore, players have been merely allowed to have a simple entertaining option of whether or not the routine is caused to migrate to the second game.
In addition, in conventional slot machines, a payout rate is set to be comparatively low, which has caused a lowered popularity of the slot machines.
Slot machines that are capable of changing a payout rate in gaming facilities such as casinos have been conventionally known as well. Each of such slot machines has a switch for changing the payout rate. In the gaming facilities, after closing their shops, the staffs can change setting of the payout rate by operating the switch in accordance with a play situation in the gaming facilities. However, players cannot directly check whether the payout rate is highly set or is lowly set. Therefore, even in a case where the payout rate has been highly set, players cannot be informed of the fact, and it has been a low possibility that a player can enjoy game at a slot machine at which the payout rate is highly set. Accordingly, even in the case where the payout rate has been highly set, players who visit the gaming facilities cannot always enjoy game, the number of players who play at slot machines cannot always be increased, and it has been difficult to increase sales in gaming facilities exerted by slot machines.
The present invention has been made in order to solve the conventional problem described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine that is capable of causing a player to be realistically informed of a payout rate and that is capable of having a variety of entertaining options by means of a variety of games.